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CC slated to make first rehab start on Tuesday

Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia joins the Mad Dog on this edition of High Heat

By Bryan Hoch and Jamie Ross
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MLB.com |

TORONTO -- Injured starter CC Sabathia had a productive outing in a simulated game on Tuesday, and he will make his first rehab start on Saturday with Class A Advanced Tampa.

The left-hander, who's been on the 15-day disabled list with a right knee injury for the past six weeks, threw two innings without experiencing any pain on Tuesday, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.

"It's good, he'll start again on Saturday," said Girardi. "Forty to 45 pitches. ... Everything came out well. Obviously, you're curious to see how he feels tomorrow, but he felt it was successful."

Sabathia is one of three Yankees starters currently on a the disabled list. Michael Pineda is on the 60-day DL with a right shoulder injury, and could return in August. Ivan Nova, meanwhile, is out for the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in late August.

There's no exact timetable for the 33-year-old's return, but depending on team needs and how well his rehab progresses, there is a slight possibility Sabathia could return by the All-Star break, Girardi said.

"It's getting closer," he said. "You're not sure how many starts he needs to get built up, but once you start to get to that point, four or five starts, it could be a possibility. I wouldn't count on it [before the break], but who knows? Sometimes need has something to do with it."

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. Jamie Ross is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.